Early morning game viewing run at 0630 (optional Balloon Safari with Champagne Breakfast, additional cost), return for breakfast by 0900. Day at leisure.

Blessed with an outstanding concentration of animals and panoramic views of across the plains and dotted woodlands, the Masai Mara provides an experience unsurpassed. As the northern extension of the great Serengeti grassland, the reserve is host to the annual migration of over a million wildebeest –the most awesome wildlife spectacle on planet earth.

The Mara covers an area of about 1,500 square kilometers in the south-western corner of Kenya, is not fenced and bordered on the west by the Olooloo escarpment and in the east by the Ngama hills. The common language of the Masai is Maa in which the word Mara means spotted –referring to the clusters of bush which dot the plains.

In addition to the wildebeest and hordes of zebra which join them in their annual pilgrimage for pastures, the Masai Mara supports the lion, cheetah, elephant, kongoni, topi, Thomson’s gazelle and the Defassa waterbuck, as well as eight species of primate. Afternoon game viewing run at 1600. Return by 1845. Dinner and overnight. FB.

(optional full day game drive with picnic lunch)

DAY 4 LAKE NAKURU NATIONAL PARK, LION HILL LODGE

Breakfast at 0700, depart at 0730 for Nakuru, driving to the floor of the Great Rift Valley against the back drop of the Longonot Caldera. Arrive at the lodge by 1230, time at leisure. The lake is home to millions of flamingo which give the lake an unmistakable pink hue on the horizon. Lunch at 1300, early afternoon at leisure, game viewing run at 1600. The park hosts the endangered white rhino, lions, buffaloes, the elusive leopard and hordes of plains game. Return to the lodge by 1845. Dinner and overnight. FB.

DAY 5 MOUNT KENYA FOREST RESERVE, MOUNTAIN LODGE

Early morning game viewing run at 0630, return for breakfast by 0900. Depart at 0930 for Mountain Lodge, set in the heart of the Mount Kenya Forest vide Nyahururu, the Equator Point. Arrive in time for lunch, afternoon and evening at leisure, the “treehotel” stands on wooden stilts overlooking a waterhole from which animals can be viewed throughout the day and night (the waterhole is lit by powerful spotlights strategically positioned). Dinner and overnight. FB.

DAY 6 OL PEJETA CONSERVANCY, SWEETWATERS LUXURY TENTED LODGE

Breakfast at 0830. Depart at 0930 for Sweetwaters, driving north into Kenya’s green rolling hills and plains. Past “The Equator,” you arrive at Sweetwaters at 1130, lunch at 1230, early afternoon at leisure. Depart at 1500 on your afternoon game drive, visit the chimp sanctuary and Morani, the tame rhino. The Sanctuary is home to the endangered Chimpanzee species, many are babies and orphans rescued from Central African countries where the trade in bush meat (meat from chimps killed by illegal forest loggers and sold to unsuspecting customers). Return to the camp by 1815. Dinner and overnight. FB.

DAY 7 SAMBURU GAME RESERVE, SAMBURU SIMBA LODGE

Game drive at 0630, return to the camp by 0830 for breakfast, depart by 0900 for Samburu, driving further north into what is known as “the last frontier,” watching the landscape change from rolling hills and plains into semi arid savannah. Arrive at the lodge by 1300. Lunch. Early afternoon at leisure, game viewing drive at 1600, return to the lodge by 1845. Dinner and overnight. FB.

DAY 8 SAMBURU GAME RESERVE, SAMBURU SIMBA LODGE

Game drive 0630, return to the lodge by 0900 for breakfast. Day at leisure.

North of Kenya’s capital Nairobi, the reserve is in the semi arid part of this country and also home to the Samburu tribes people, the fearless cousins of the Masai. The Samburu people are known for crossing the crocodile infested Uaso Nyiro river which meanders through the reserve with inherent ease. A unique vista of rounded rugged hills and undulating plains are offered by the reserve. The mix of wood and grassland with riverine forest and swamp is home to lions, elephants, antelopes, hartbeasts, buffaloes, reticulated giraffe, grevy's zebra, leopard, Somali ostrich, hippo, crocodile, gerenuk, hyena and other plains game. The park is also a bird watchers paradise, there are over 600 species of birds, most with habitats on or around the river. Most lodges are situated on the river bank giving the guest the best of the plant, animal and bird life.

Afternoon game viewing run at 1600. Return by 1845. Dinner and overnight. FB.

DAY 9 NANYUKI, MOUNT KENYA SAFARI CLUB

Early morning game viewing run at 0630, return for breakfast by 0900. Depart at 0930 for Nanyuki, arrive by 1200, time at leisure.

The club, set in pristine grounds at the foot of the majestic snow capped Mount Kenya was founded in 1959 by William Holden and has been honored by visits from many celebrities including John Travolta. Time at the club is graced by long lunches and lazy log fire dinners, for the more energetic there is a heated swimming pool, tennis courts, croquet, a golf course, trout fishing, nature / bird walks, horse back riding and an early morning ride on an ox wagon through the club grounds.

Lunch, afternoon at leisure. There is an animal orphanage within the club grounds which has cheetahs, the llama, ostriches, zebroids (mixed breed of zebra and a horse), porcupines, baby antelopes, the white tailed Colobus monkeys and a tortoise rumoured to be over 100 years old.

Dinner and overnight. FB.

DAY 10 AMBOSELI NATIONAL PARK, AMBOSELI SERENA LODGE

Depart at 0600, picnic breakfast enroute, driving south east towards Africa’s highest mountain, Kilimanjaro. Rest halt at Namanga, the ever busy border town between Kenya and Tanzania. Proceed further east to the home of The African Elephant, a very apt norm for Amboseli which hosts huger herds of the majestic African elephant. Arrive at the lodge by 1400. Lunch. Early afternoon at leisure, game viewing drive at 1600, return to the lodge by 1845. Dinner and overnight. FB.

DAY 11 AMBOSELI NATIONAL PARK, AMBOSELI SERENA LODGE

Game drive 0630, return to the lodge by 0900 for breakfast. Day at leisure.

South east of Kenya’s capital Nairobi, the park nestles at the foot of the highest mountain in Africa, Kilimanjaro, which borders both Kenya and Tanzania. The park is famed for the huge herds of the African Elephant that it is home to. The park also plays host to lions, buffaloes, the elusive leopard, wildebeest, giraffes, zebras, a variety of antelopes and other smaller plains game. During the dry season it is semi arid terrains and during the wet season, the seasonal “Amboseli Swamp” becomes home to many species of birds.

Afternoon game viewing run at 1600. Return by 1845. Dinner and overnight. FB.

DAY 12 TSAVO WEST NATIONAL PARK, KILAGUNI SERENA LODGE

Breakfast at 0700, depart by 0730 for Tsavo West, traverse the harsh semi arid terrain against the picturesque backdrop of the Chyulu Hills, arrive at the lodge by 1030, time at leisure. Lunch at 1230. Afternoon game viewing drive at 1600. Return to the lodge by 1845, evening at leisure, dinner and overnight. FB.

DAY 13 TSAVO WEST NATIONAL PARK, KILAGUNI SERENA LODGE

Game drive 0630, return to the lodge by 0900 for breakfast. Day at leisure.

Arguably the largest park in Kenya, on offer are tremendous views with diverse habitats ranging from mountains, river forest, plains, lakes and wooded grasslands. It borders the southern Serengeti plains in Tanzania. Game includes leopard, cheetah, buffalo, rhino, elephant, giraffe, zebra, lion, plains game, crocodile and small mammals including mongoose, hyrax, dik dik and the nocturnal porcupine.

Afternoon game viewing run at 1600. Return by 1845. Dinner and overnight. FB.

DAY 14 NAIROBI

Early morning game drive at 0630, return to the lodge for breakfast by 0900, depart at 0930 for Nairobi, arrive by 1500, drop off with memories of your African safari to cherish.